Libby Hobbs

I’ve always been very people motivated; how people feel; I’m a feely person with my heart on my sleeve and I’ve always tried to translate that into my art and my design. After I graduated, I started to work as an intern for a textile magazine and was asked to manage their pop up shops. I ended up working for them, managing their store. I then worked on a collaboration between them and Anthroplogie on the Kings Road Chelsea and it was my ideal scenario using all of my skills that I have learnt so I then moved to them as their display artist for almost 3 years and was then promoted to move to the Guildford branch. My husband and I had just moved to Chilworth, so it kind of made sense. I was working really hard and investing all of my creativity into my job, but it got to the point where I was ready to take everything I had learnt and all of the passion that I have and change things.
So I walked away and started ‘&Hobbs’. I always wanted to run my own business. My vision was to have a studio space that was also a shop, selling people’s creations and artwork, but also running classes. The shop in Shere came up by chance and when I walked in, I just knew it was going to work, so I did it! The 5month old baby, dogs and husband all chipped into to get us open and ready for trade! We’ve been here for 3 years in August and I’m very proud because it’s my space and we have truly grown in so many ways since opening. We have so many friends that we’ve met through the shop and I’ve learnt so much!”